


Color Me Stunned

by darluvscaryl



Category: Walking Dead RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-13 04:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3367505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darluvscaryl/pseuds/darluvscaryl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The season premiere scripts that NR and MMB receive leave them speechless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Norman picked up his phone and began to dial Melissa's number as the doorbell rang. He swung the door open and signed for the package with the season premiere script.

"Hello, Norman. Yes, I got my script about five minutes ago."

"Do you still want to get together for a bite to eat while we see what the new season will bring?"

"Absolutely. I made dessert already, so just pick up the burgers from Max's and we will be set."

Norman chuckled as he said, "I still can't believe you want burgers. You are so health conscience all the time, I never thought I would see the day."

"Hey, I sneak yummy goodness every once in a while. I figured we would be starting 'Filming The Walking Dead' exercise program again soon, so why not?"

"You got my vote Melissa. I will be there in about twenty five minutes or so."

"Bye, Norman," she said smiling as she hung up the phone. After season two, they had started this little tradition of getting together over a meal and perusing the season premiere script with each other. It usually turned into a bottle of wine and a lot of laughs as things were always easy between them. They saw each other on occasion when the cast was not filming, but it wasn't the same as when they saw each other daily.

Norman showed up about thirty minutes later. He was taken aback for a moment as it seemed Melissa became more beautiful each time he saw her. He kissed her cheek as she ushered him over to the table to unload the bags. They shared a loving hug as they spent a moment content to be together again.

When they pulled apart, Melissa looked over and said, "Two burgers and fries should only take up one bag, Norman. Why do I see two?"

"Well, ya know...when in Georgia...it's a little bit of peach cobbler and maybe some shrimp."

"Norman! How in the hell are we suppose to eat all this food!?" Melissa smiled as she began to lay the food out on the table. "This does look better than cooked squirrel I guess."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once their plates were heaped full, they settled in at the table. Lincoln came over and flopped down on the floor under their feet. He knew it was imperative to cover any random bits of food that may make their way to the floor. Melissa propped her feet upon the chair and used her knees as a table for the script. Norman sat next to her, but pulled a chair over to rest his feet on while he read. Melissa liked to get the whole script, so she would know how all the stories played within each other, whereas Norman only preferred to get a script with only his storyline on it.

They sat in silence with only an occasional gasp, chuckle or sign accompanying the air about them. Melissa always teased him because she could speed read. Therefore, they always finished their scripts around the same time.

After about 15 minutes, Norman threw his food down, stood up and began to pace the floor. Melissa noticed him, but kept reading her script. All of a sudden, he threw the script on the table, ran his fingers through his hair in anger and claimed, "I don't fucking believe it!!"

Melissa jumped at the sound of his voice and claimed, "Norman, what in the world!?"

"It's Daryl, Mellie." He looked down at her with concern in his eyes and simply said again, "It's me. Daryl is the one they kill off in the season premiere." 

Her face became unreadable as she looked up at him and then down at her script. She did this a few more times repeatedly and quietly said, "I don't think that is right, Norman." 

"What do you mean Melissa? It says it right here in my copy...he gets killed!!"

Her eyes met his once again, only this time hers were filled with tears. "Norman...my script says the same thing about Carol."

Norman stopped pacing, turned to her and asked, "What did you just say?"

"You heard right. Carol is suppose to be killed in the season premiere."

"What? How?" He stumbled over his words as he plopped back down in his chair. "You mean to tell me that they are planning on killing both Carol and Daryl off?"

She grabbed his hand and said, "It certainly looks that way."


	2. Chapter 2

"What!?," Norman exclaimed as he sat back down next to her and grabbed the script out of her hands. He glanced over it again in hopes they had misread something. "I just can't believe it."

Melissa sat quietly as the tears began to fall down her face. She wasn't sure what to do with mixture of emotions she was feeling.Why are they doing this? Why didn't they give us a heads up that this was a possibility? What are the fans going to do? How are they going to react to this?

They sat quietly for a few minutes before Norman spoke with an angry tone in his voice, "We are going to go find out what this is all about. I just cannot figure out why they would kill off two major characters at the same time. No warnings,  
nothing." When he glanced over to her, he saw her crying. He took her hands in his, "It will be ok, Mellie. We will figure this all out." He embraced her knowing that she wasn't upset she was going to lose her job. Melissa was upset because the fans were going to lose their beloved Carol. Melissa always put her fans first.

Thirty minutes later, Norman hung up the phone from his call with Robert Kirkman. While Robert would not answer any questions over the phone, they did agree to a meeting tomorrow morning at nine. "Tomorrow morning we will go in and find out what this is all about," Norman told her as they sat together on the couch.

Melissa nodded her head and then spoke quietly, "Norman, would you please stay here with me tonight? I just don't feel like being alone."

"Sure, I can stay. I have to run home quick though and get a change of clothes, and then we can leave from here to meet with them tomorrow." He stood up and dug his keys out of his pocket. "I will be back in thirty minutes. Do you need anything while I am out?"

"How about a nice bottle a wine? I could use a nightcap."

"You got it, Mellie. I will be right back." He leaned over, squeezed her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He seemed to linger for a moment longer than necessary, sighed and then left her house.

When the door closed, she touched her cheek for a moment, smiled and then settled in to wait for him to come back. A knock at the door woke her from a sound sleep. She let Norman in and locked up behind him. He took his bag to the guest room while she poured them each a glass of wine. He joined her a few minutes later and they sat in silent company for a few minutes. 

Norman was the first to break the silence. "Mellie, I have to be honest with you. When I was talking to Robert earlier, he really didn't seem happy about you and I being killed off. I'm not sure what in the world happened, but I have a feeling that this was not a decision made by anyone who works with us."

"That would make sense Norman. Even the fact that we were blindsided would corroborate that fact. I am very anxious to see what they have to say." Her eyes filled with tears as she took another sip of her wine. "I think I am still a bit in shock."

Norman placed his wine glass on the table and reached for her. He placed his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "Whatever happens Mellie, we will go through it together." He gently caressed her side as he placed a kiss on top of her head.

She looked up at him and replied softly, "Thanks, Norman. I know that I can always count on you." 

"Always, Mellie. Always," Norman replied as he placed a kiss on her lips. They were both surprised by the kiss and neither moved after that. Melissa snuggled into Norman even more and eventually fell asleep.

She woke up when she felt herself being carried into her bedroom. Sleepily she said, "Norman, please sleep with me in my bed tonight."

"If that is what you want Mellie."

"Yes, please. I just want you to hold me."

They got ready for bed and climbed in shutting off the lights. She leaned over, they kissed each other goodnight and they settled in tucking the blankets around them. Before he knew it, that were joined by Lincoln, Vangeline, and Sierra. The room was quiet and it only took a few moments before they were all sound asleep.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following morning they found their nerves had returned as they waited for the meeting to start. Norman looked at Melissa as executives from AMC, including Josh Sapan, walked in and joined them. Usually these meetings only involved Kirkman, Hurd, Gimple, Nicotero, Alpert, Kang, Huth and the cast members it pertained to. Executives never attended these meetings.

"Norman, Melissa...we know you have questions, so let's go ahead and get started," Robert said with an edge to his voice.

Melissa looked around the room and stated simply, "Norman and I are wondering what happened. We were not given any indication this was even on the table. When season five ended, everyone was already discussing season six. We realize that people on this show die, that isn't the issue. The issue is the lack of respect we were shown. Why couldn't we have been told this was going to happen face to face? Why through a script being delivered?"

Josh Sapan answered, "Melissa, Norman, we know this comes as a huge shock to both of you. The executives at AMC, including myself, talked about this at great lengths and came to this decision. We informed Robert and the rest of the team of our determination and asked them not to say anything to the both of you ahead of time. The reason we have decided to kill off Carol and Daryl in the season premiere is simply, we are trying to bring in a younger demographic. In order to do that, we need to bring in younger cast members."


	3. Chapter 3

Melissa and Norman looked at each other after Josh finished talking, and tried to process exactly what he said. The room was silent for a moment before Robert piped in stating, " Now you understand, this was not our decision, but rather one that was made higher up and we accommodated them."

"Yes, Robert. I am sure that Melissa and Norman figured that out already," Josh stated with a hint of irritation in his voice. "Look, we know that no one at this table is happy right now, but we really do have the best interest of the show in mind."

Norman leaned over to Melissa and whispered, "I am so pissed right now, that I really need to get out of here before I say something I am going to regret. What about you?"

She simply stood up, looked around the room and stated, "Thank you for your time. Norman and I are going to leave and try to process that the reason two of the most popular characters on the show right now are going to be killed off, because the people who portray them are too old." With that, they walked out of the room.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melissa decided to drive home because Norman was too angry. "What the shit was that!?," Norman yelled as he tried to light his cigarette. They stood outside her car as Melissa told him point blank he would not light up in there. His fingers fumbled with the lighter even dropping it once. She chuckled as she took it from his hand and flicked it on for him. He paced by the car as he attempted to make some sense of the reason they were given. "I just don't get it. How can they possibly think this is what's best?" Melissa didn't respond because she knew this is what Norman needed. If given the chance to process a bit, he could calm down more quickly and think rationally. He put out his cigarette on the ground and threw it in the ashtray on the trashcan by the sidewalk. "Sorry, Mellie. Let's go."

They climbed in and as she backed out of the spot, she simply said, "You didn't need to apologize, Norman. I know you well enough to know how you process things."

The drive home was quiet as they each used the time to figure out how they were going to deal with everything that was sure to follow. The first crisis that would arise was the cast. They both expected texts to start rolling in any time, as the scripts for the rest of the cast were being delivered today and neither one of them wanted to deal with that on their own.

"What are you going to do when we get back to the house Norman?," Melissa asked hesitantly. 

"We both know that the cast is going to flip out and the texts will start flying in. I would rather not deal with that alone. Would you mind if we holed up in your house for the day, hung out, ate things we shouldn't, etc.?"

"Sounds perfect. Let's stop on the way home and load up on crap food," Melissa replied laughing. 

They stopped at a little local store Melissa frequented, because the owner never made a big deal out of it when she was in there. Norman got a wide variety of chocolate as Melissa picked out a new flavor of coffee to try. Their cart was also full of various other kinds of treats that were sure to pacify them. Dinner was going to be a Chicago style stuffed crust pizza and a couple bottles of wine.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they got back to her house, they were giddy in anticipation of living on junk food for the rest of the day. They took their stash into the house and locked the door behind them. The first movie they had picked out to watch together was about 30 minutes in when Norman's text message indicator went off. Not even 30 seconds later, Melissa's went off. The two of them grabbed their phones and laughed, "And so it begins," Melissa said. 

"What do we want to tell them?," Norman asked unsure. 

"How about we invite them all over for brunch tomorrow? Right now, we can ask that they let us deal with this on our own for the time being."

"Sounds like a plan, Mellie."

They spent the next hour or so fielding questions on their phones. Both of them replied with the same answer Melissa had come up with. Eventually, the texts stopped and the movie was over. Norman was sitting at the end of the couch with Melissa's feet in his lap massaging them. He was lost in his own thoughts when he heard a quiet sob. He looked at Melissa and saw tears flooding her cheeks.

She looked at him, shook her head a bit and said, "Norman, I still can't believe this is going to happen. I have worked hard to create a character in Carol that people will adore, and now, they are going to lose her. Hell, look at what you have done with Daryl. He wasn't even in the graphic novels, and you made him into the most popular character on the show. This whole thing is total bullshit!"

He placed her feet to the side as he gathered her in his arms. When they were settled, he simply said, "There is nothing I could say that would explain this situation better than what you just did. The only thing I can promise to you is that I guarantee I will be here for you, no matter what. We are going to need to stick together, hold each other up and catch each other when we stumble. Carol and Daryl have been such a big part of our lives for the last few years. It will be hard to lose that."

Suddenly, she sat up and looked at him, "Norman! That's it! Our fans have been rooting for Daryl and Carol since the beginning, especially the Caryl fans. We owe it to them, to fight for their relationship to be established before they kill us off! We could totally do that! The fans are going to be in a frenzy over this anyway. Why not throw fuel on the fire and have Daryl and Carol profess their love as well?" The smile on her face lit up her eyes in a way that Norman adored.

"I like the way you think McBride," as he leaned over and kissed her. "We can call Robert tomorrow to set up a meeting with the writers."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Melissa and Norman were in the kitchen preparing the fruit salad when the doorbell rang. They walked to the door and right as Melissa went to reach for the handle, Norman took her hand and pulled her to him. He caught her gaze and simply said, "Here we go. Are you ready to deal with the aftermath of the cast finding out?"

She smiled gently and said, "As ready as I will ever be." He leaned down, gave her a quick kiss and opened the door. 

The cast poured in and immediately started barraging them with questions. "Hang on everyone," Norman yelled. "Come into the dining room and we will share with you what we know." Everyone found a spot and settled in with their food. Melissa and Norman stood together at the end of the table and looked at all their friends. 

"Norman and I met with who we thought would be the regular team. However, the AMC execs showed up as well, including Josh. We were informed that Daryl and Carol would both be killed off in the season six premiere," said Melissa with a tremor in her voice.

"What the hell are they thinking," said Andy as he threw his napkin on the table. "There is not one reason that would make sense out of firing either one of you, let alone both of you."

"Wait until you guys hear the reason behind this decision," said Norman through gritted teeth. "They want to bring the ratings up with the younger demographics and feel they can do that by killing Mellie and I off. We are getting killed because we are too old." He put his arm around Melissa when he saw the tears falling silently down her cheeks. "We are both very upset by this decision because the reason is such a crock of shit. Melissa and I were talking last night and have decided to meet with Robert and the writers tomorrow. The Caryl shippers have been quite adamant for a long time. What better way for us to leave, other than to have Carol and Daryl profess their undying love for one another? We figured why not go down in a blaze of glory. It was quite obvious when we were at the meeting, that Robert was not happy with this decision at all. At our meeting tomorrow, we are going to ask them to rewrite part of the script to include our request."

No one said a word as they thought about what they were just told. To say that everyone was shocked was an understatement. Andy was the first one to break the silence, "Let me make sure I have this correct. They are killing off two of the most popular characters on the show, because they want to bring in younger actors!? I can't even wrap my brain around that idiocy."

"Who thought younger actors would bring in a younger fan base?," asked Danai. 

"They didn't give us any details as far as who did what in the decision process. When we expressed our anger towards not being informed sooner than the script or even given an inkling this might happen, Josh simply said that it was the request of the execs for Robert and the team to remain quiet until the scripts were delivered to Mellie and I. We actually got ours the day before you guys did," replied Norman as he continued to hold Melissa in support.

"It's...it's just so unfair. We worked really hard to develop our characters and our deaths have nothing to do with the storyline,"said Melissa as she wiped her eyes and took a seat. "We wanted to have you all here together when we explained what was going on. We really needed the support of our cast family because we can't tell anyone else. This may be the hardest thing all of us have had to do on the show yet. That being said, let's eat everyone. We have plenty of time for fussing later."  
Melissa looked to Norman, smiled and gave his hand a squeeze before they all dug in.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After their meal was finished and the table was cleared away, the group spent time catching up and sharing what they had been up to in the off season. The comfort the group shared with each other seemed prevalent as Danai finally said, "What can we do for you two? This really sucks for all of us, but especially both of you. How can we help?"

Melissa quietly stated, "We are not even sure ourselves yet, Danai. It is so kind of you all to offer, but right now, we just aren't even sure what we need."

Michael piped in and said, "You need us, we are here."

"Who knows? Tomorrow we have our meeting. If the script changes, we may have to have everyone over again. I really believe that the executives have no idea how big this is going to blow back at them. Especially if Caryl finally gets to declare their love for each other," said Norman as he winked at Melissa. "I don't think social media will be able to keep up with the traffic once the episode airs."

They visited for a little while longer and then people started to leave as they had other commitments. "Hang on a second everyone. Each day before we begin filming, a prayer is said for our safety and the safety of the entire crew. I think a prayer here wouldn't hurt," said Christian as she looked around the group. They all nodded in agreement and formed a large circle. Wrapping their arms around each other, they looked to Melissa.

"Chad usually said the prayer," said Melissa softly. "Would you please, Christian? 

"Wow. Those are big shoes to fill, but I will give it my best shot." She paused for a moment and then began," Lord, you have brought us together and allowed us to be a part of something bigger than any of us could have imagined. We have been given the opportunity to share ourselves with the world through our craft. While we may not agree with what is happening to our dear friends, Melissa and Norman, please give them the strength to realize that things happen for a reason. Allow us the freedom and flexibility to be there for them whenever they need us, and guide us on this final journey with them as part of The Walking Dead cast. In your name, Amen."

Melissa took a moment and looked around the group overwhelmed by everyone who had come to show their support. She knew Seth and Lennie were not able to make it, but would help them if they needed it. Andy, Danai, Steven, Lauren, Michael, Josh, Christian, Tyler, Alanna, Sonequa, and Chandler all stood with them. She was so wrapped up in everything that was going on, she didn't even notice Chandler's tears until they made eye contact. Squeezing Norman's hand, she motioned over to Chandler. Norman saw his tears and they both went over to him and Melissa put her arm around him. "It's going to be okay, Chandler. We know it is hard, but you will be just fine."

"This really sucks you guys. I grew up with the two of you, you're like...you're like my family!," Chandler stated, obviously upset. Norman and Melissa embraced him as he cried. 

"We know, buddy. We know," Norman said as he ruffled his hair. "Don't worry. I will still show up on set, just to annoy the crap out of you!" 

Chandler laughed and wiped his tears. "That sounds like a plan."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the last of the group had left, Melissa and Norman sat down on the couch together and put their feet up. Norman leaned his head back, closed his eyes and relaxed into the couch. Melissa turned her body, stretched out her legs and placed her feet in his lap. He opened his eyes in time to see her toss a bottle of lotion at him. "Here, make yourself useful and massage my feet."

"Damn lady, we aren't even on set yet, and you are already bossing me around." 

As he started rubbing the lotion on her feet, they both stayed quiet as they realized they wouldn't be on set together much longer.


	5. Chapter 5

The morning came too early for Melissa and Norman as thoughts about their meeting today kept either of them from getting a good night's sleep. 

"Coffee, Mellie. I need coffee," said Norman as he shuffled into the kitchen. Normally, he wasn't a big coffee drinker, but Melissa had found him some kind of chocolate flavored coffee bean sort of thing that he could not stop drinking. "I swear, they put something in this when they make it, because it is like an addiction for me."

"Norman, it's just a matter of finding a good quality coffee and spending money on it," Melissa said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know. I still think it's because you make it," he said walked over to her and gave her a quick kiss. "I think you should make the coffee all the time, Mellie."

"Nice try, pal. It is still your turn tomorrow, Reedus."

As they got ready to go, they didn't say much as they were each lost in their own thoughts. It was a bit daunting knowing they were going in to request something that wasn't in the original script that was given to them. Melissa and Norman were known for just going with the flow when it came to what was asked of them. That was what made this whole thing hard to deal with. They struggled with the feeling that they were never really appreciated to begin with.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Thanks for meeting with us everyone," said Norman as he and Melissa walked into the writing room and took a seat. Robert closed the door behind them and sat next to Melissa.

"Of course, Norman," said Scott as he pulled up a chair and sat down. "Before we discuss anything, I want to start by saying how sorry we are that all of this has happened to the two of you. When this was first brought to our attention, Robert and I were pissed off. Believe me, when I say we fought for the two of you for several days. We tried to make them see that the reasoning behind their decision was without merit, but they were adamant that this was the way to go. I also heard that Andy and Danai have asked to meet with them. You have everyone on your side!"

Melissa nodded, "Thanks, Scott. We met with the cast yesterday to let them know exactly what was going on. They were so supportive."

Robert looked around at the group and said, "What can we do for you?"

"Melissa and I were talking and came up with an idea. We are all well aware of the fan support for Carol and Daryl. Mellie and I were wondering if it would be possible for the script to be rewritten somewhere towards the end. We would like for Daryl and Carol to finally profess their love for each other, followed by their death. The fandom would go insane, but we feel that the fans have been waiting a long time for it and deserve it."

A silence fell over the room as Robert and Scott thought about what they said. Suddenly, Gale piped in, "I think that is brilliant! A majority of the fans had been shipping these two since season one and what a better way to send them off!"

Robert nodded his head as he looked at Scott and said, "What do you think? Is there a place in the script that we could replace with a Caryl love scene?"

"Absolutely," said Scott as he turned to Melissa and Norman. "Yet another reason you shouldn't be written out of TWD. Your contributions both on and off the screen continue to amaze me."

After a little further discussion, Melissa and Norman left the meeting. They were quite pleased with the reception their idea had received. 

While Melissa and Norman exited the building, Robert, Greg, Scott and Gale sat back down with huge smiles on their faces. "That idea is just what we needed to screw the execs just a little bit," said Robert quietly, as he high fived Scott. "We worked hard to bring this show to the level it is and it pisses me off that they can ruin it with poor decisions."

"Now we have to brainstorm how we are going to add this into the script and remove or shorten something else," said Scott as he grabbed his tablet. "It will have to fit in just right, so when the execs meet with us in two days, we are able to answer anything they ask us. Let's get to work."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, as Norman was driving home, Melissa's phone rang. "Hello?" 

"Ms. McBride, this is Jane from Mr. Sapan's office. There is another meeting set for two days from now that they would like you and Mr. Reedus to attend. It is at 2:00. Will you be able to attend?"

"Yes, I will. Norman is here, please hold on. They would like both of us to attend a meeting at two on Thursday, can you go?"

"Of course."

"Jane? Both Norman and I will be in attendance. Thank you." As Melissa put her phone back in her purse, she smiled saying,"Looks like Caryl is a go."


	6. Chapter 6

A few weeks after the final meeting with the execs, Melissa and Norman decided to ride together for taping the season premiere. It was bittersweet to pull up on location knowing it was one of the last times they would. Melissa tucked her arm in Norman's as they went to their trailers to get ready. "Are you ready for this, Mellie?"

She looked over to him and replied quietly, "I am as ready as I will ever be." He saw tears begin to form in her blue eyes.

"Hey, come on now. We agreed that no matter how much it sucks, how hard it is, we were going to give the fans the best they have ever seen from Daryl and Carol. Come on, sweetheart. Let's do this." He kissed her cheek and she squeezed his hand before she walked up the stairs to her trailer.

The cast and crew were always excited to start the new season. However, the crew was informed about all the things that would be taped for the first episode, so there was a solemn feel in the air. Everything fell into place and taping seemed to go more smoothly than usual with the entire episode. As the first week wrapped up, the cast gathered around for report times for the following day. Everyone was told to report at their usual start times except for Norman and Melissa. They would be reporting at dusk because they were to start shooting their final scene. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~The Love~

The run started out as a very easy one as Daryl and Carol gathered supplies they found. They were able to move efficiently as there were very few walkers around. When they got back to the car, it stalled a little ways down the road. "Crap! I knew this was too easy," said Daryl as he locked the door to the car to secure the supplies. "We will have to stay here and see if we can flag Rick down on his way back to camp." They sat in the shade of some large trees that offered a cool area to sit in the stifling heat. "I hope it cools off soon," Daryl said as he wiped his brow with his trusty red scarf.

Carol held her breath as she watched him clean off his face. Ever since they had made it to the ASZ, something had changed between the two of them. Daryl caught her watching him as she was deep in thought. When she realized she had been busted, she blushed a lovely shade of crimson as she looked down again. He gently lifted her chin with his fingers and caught her eyes. "Carol, I...uh...ya sure look pretty when you blush like that."

"Thanks Daryl, that's a sweet thing to say," as she smiled back at him. Suddenly, she felt him scoot even closer to her.

She looked up just in time to see him stumble over his words, "Carol?"

"Yes, Daryl?"

"I'm not sure where this is coming from, but I was wondering if I could give you a kiss?"

Her heart stopped as she whispered, "I would love for you to kiss me." 

His face lit up with a smile as he leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She tasted like strawberry lip balm, which he knew she loved to use. He went to speak, but before the words came out, she turned to face him and simply said, "Again, please kiss me again."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with more passion this time. He tugged at her bottom lip encouraging her to open up to him. Their tongues lazily stroked each other's as they seem to melt together. They pulled apart for a moment and looked into each other's eyes. Carol smirked as she said, "Damn, Dixon, think of all the time we wasted. What took you so long?"

"I ain't no good as all this lovey dovey stuff, Carol, you know that. I don't know what's happened, but lately, I can't seem to be close enough to ya."

"I have felt it, too, Daryl. We have known each other a long time and we are best friends. Maybe we both realize it should be more. You are my hero, Daryl, and I love you." She closed her eyes in hopes that she didn't just scare him off. Waiting a moment, she opened them back up and was thrilled to see he was still holding her.

"I love ya, too, woman," he replied smugly as he leaned in to kiss her again. They sat with their arms around each other, stealing quick kisses oblivious to the weather churning around them. A sudden crash of thunder shocked them both as they jumped up. "We have to find shelter, Carol. Let's go!"

~The Death~

As they ran through the forest the hot, sticky air was very still and the sky was almost a greenish color. "Carol, we have to find a place fast. I do not have a good feeling about this weather." 

Lightning flashed and Carol jumped as the darkness seemed to swallow them up. They emerged from the forest and seconds later, lightning flashed again, illuminating a few houses on the end of the street. "There," she yelled, pointing to their left.

They ran up the stairs and peeked in the window with their flashlight. Not seeing anything, Daryl tried the door, but it was locked. He kicked it open and they slammed it behind them as they moved their flashlights around looking for walkers. Knowing they didn't have much time, they scanned the rest of the one bedroom house quickly and then barricaded the door. 

Daryl yelled, "We are out of time, Carol! Head for the tub!"

She ran to the bathroom and jumped into the tub just as the sound of a train seemed to be right on top of them. Daryl jumped in behind her and shielded her body by covering her with his. "I love you, Daryl, thank you for being my best friend!" she yelled.

"I love you too, Carol!!" He suddenly sat up, grabbed her to him and kissed her with as much love and passion as he could in the split second they had. He covered her again as the unusual Virginia tornado, churned around them. A giant Virginia pine snapped under the strength of the strong winds, dropping it straight down onto the house and into the bathroom. Daryl and Carol stilled as the branch pierced both of them through the head, instantly killing them. They died wrapped around each other; just the way they wanted to be.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Cut," echoed Greg's voice as the scene closed. The silence that was on set was eerie as Norman helped Melissa climb out of the tub. They were overwhelmed when they turned around and saw that the entire cast and crew had showed up to see them tape their final scene. There was not a dry eye in the place as their Walking Dead family began to give them a round of applause. Norman put his arms around Melissa as she openly wept at the love she felt. The cast closed in around them in a traditional group hug when someone was killed off the show.

Scott, Gale, Robert and Greg stood and watched as hugs and tears were shared time and time again. "This is such bullshit," Robert said as his throat felt thick with emotion. 

"Biggest mistake in television history," replied Scott as he wiped his eyes. "Just wait, the execs have no clue what is about to happen when this airs."


	7. Chapter 7

Melissa and Norman finished making sure that all the final preparations for their death dinner were set. These dinners use to be at a restaurant in the area, but due to the fact it was for Daryl and Carol, they couldn't take the chance of any leaks from the staff. It was being catered at Norman's and the catering staff was being sent after things were ready to be served. It had already been "leaked" the cast was meeting to celebrate TWD being picked up for a seventh season.

As they were checking over things, a knock at the door brought them out of their silence as everyone began to arrive. It was a bittersweet feeling for Melissa and Norman. They were looking forward to spending time with their family off set, but at the same time, a deep sadness also lurked. "Come on in everyone," Norman yelled as he made his way to the buffet style set up. "The food is ready, please help yourselves and we will meet in dining room."

Plates were loaded and glasses were filled, as Melissa stood up and made an announcement. "A million thanks to all of you for coming to celebrate the deaths of Carol and Daryl. Norman and I really appreciate your unending support as we make this transition. That being said, he and I were given a very interesting proposition/request today. Due to the fact that there are always people watching the filming locations, the trailers on set, etc. we were asked by AMC to keep reporting on location at various dates and times. They said they are hoping it will help alleviate any early discoveries of our deaths and minimize backlash."

"Wait, what?," said Michael with a confused look on his face. "They are screwing you both over, but want you to 'help them out' by reporting on location for the next 6 months!? I hope you told them to fuck off."

Suddenly, as if on cue, the entire table started talking at once. Melissa and Norman were going to attempt to field questions, but decided to sit back and eat while the conversation drove itself. At one point they looked at each other and laughed because their friends had taken it upon themselves to plot various ways to tell AMC to shove their offer. They let them fume for a few more minutes before Norman finally interrupted.

"Hey, in case you were wondering, Mellie and I have already made our decision and plan on letting them know tomorrow." 

Everyone became quiet and focused their attention on Norman. "Melissa and I told them that the only way we would be willing to do that is first, allow us to pick the days and times we would show up on set. Second, they would still have to pay us what we were making as if we were still filming and third, if we decide we don't want to continue, we can stop. What do you think?"

"Wow, both of you would be willing to still come on set even after what they did to you?," said Danai with surprise in her voice. 

"Holy shit, you are bigger people than me," said Steven as he took another sip of his beer. 

"Hell, someone get Yuen's glass away from him now!," said Lauren as everyone began to laugh.

"Melissa and I talked about it for quite a while and we both decided that we owe a lot to the show. We feel it is the right thing to do."

"If it is what you both want, I, for one, think it is awesome that we will still get to see you," said Andy. "You know we will support whatever you decide to do."

Everyone nodded in agreement as Andy's words sunk in. The news of Carol and Daryl's death was hard for everyone to deal with, but what made it that much harder is the love that everyone felt for Melissa and Norman. The group finished eating and enjoyed each other's company until late into the evening. It was highlighted by Steven deciding to sing "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea. He gyrated around while carrying his beer bottle as a microphone. Norman and Andy were even honored with Steven's attempt at a lap dance, but when he fell on his ass, he decided to end the show. 

Everyone took that as their cue to leave as Norman helped Alanna get Steven into her car as she promised him she would be his DD. "Thanks, Norman," said Alanna as she closed the door. 

Steven fumbled to roll down the window as he yelled, "Thsans Normannnnnn! I lub you, man."

Norman chuckled, "Love you, too." He walked back up to the house and put his arm around Melissa. "That went well, huh? They really are a great group of people."

"Yes, Norman. We have great friends," she smiled as she looked up at him. "Come on, let's clean up a bit and get some sleep before we call them tomorrow with our stipulations."


	8. Chapter 8

The day of the season premiere had finally arrived and Melissa felt her emotions get the best of her. She sat out on the balcony of the hotel she was staying at, drinking a cup of coffee, while trying to take deep breaths and calm herself. One minute she was happy, then sad, then depressed, then nervous. Several members of the cast had invited her to hang out with them for the premiere, but she had politely declined. Her and Norman had both agreed to be on The Talking Dead tonight, but Norman was called to New York for an issue with the movie he was filming, so she was going to be on the panel by herself. Her and Norman had become even closer over the last few months including passionate kisses, but it never really had the chance to go further than that with their busy schedules. Smiling, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes relishing the warm sun shining on her face. Thoughts of Norman and his kisses, often made her smile. 

A knock at her door woke her up an hour later. She wasn't expecting anyone, so it surprised her. She got up and went to look through the peep hole. To her surprise, all she could see was a white flower. Slowly the flower pulled away to reveal Norman standing in the hall. "Norman!," Melissa exclaimed as she unlocked the door and threw it open. "Hey! What are you doing here!?"

"I couldn't let my best gal go through our deaths alone," said Norman as he walked in and laid his bag on the floor by the door. Smiling, he handed her the bunch of Cherokee Roses he had and then grabbed her up in his arms and gave her a big hug. "I was able to get everything straightened out rather quickly because I wanted to get back to you."

They pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes. Norman was still amazed at how stunning Melissa was. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. He loved the way she tasted as she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues caressed each other as she felt him moan into her mouth. She held tight to the flowers with one hand while running her other hand through his hair as she pulled him closer to her to deepen the kiss. He loved it when she did that as he always knew she lost a little bit of control. Before it could go any further, the phone rang. She was flushed when she regrettably left him to go answer it. "Hello?"

"Ms. McBride, this is Nancy, from The Talking Dead. I was just calling to confirm everything this evening."

"Hi Nancy," replied Melissa as she looked up to see Norman carrying his bag to the bedroom.

"Mr. Reedus called us and let us know that he would be able to join you after all this evening. That will work out fine as it was never specified how many people will be on the panel tonight. He informed us he would be at the same hotel as you, so we will be there to pick both of you up at six. I have tried to reach him, but believe he is still traveling."

"I can tell him, that is not a problem. We will be ready at six, thank you," Melissa said. She hung up the phone and turned to find him. He was out on the balcony having a cigarette. After putting the flowers in some water, she went to join him. "They will be here at six, Norman."

"Sometimes it is still hard to believe that this is it for us, Mellie. It seems like sometimes, I'm ok with moving on and then other times, not so much."

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his back as he looked out at the view. "I know, Norman. I have the same struggles all the time." She gave him an extra squeeze and continued, "I am really glad you are here. It will make things easy to deal with knowing you are here with me."

He put out his cigarette and turned in her arms. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, Melissa. We are in this together." He placed a gentle kiss to her lips and then they walked back into the living room area and settled in on the couch. It was nice for the both of them to just spend their time talking and hanging out for the afternoon. They ordered up room service for an early dinner and then got ready for the show.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They held hands as the towne car drove through traffic. Their final episode was airing as they drove along and Melissa couldn't help but get choked up. Her and Norman had been out on the internet and saw all the speculation about who was going to die in the season premiere, but no one had been able to pinpoint both of them. There were several theories it was her, some for Norman, but it seemed Steven's character Glenn had garnered the most votes as that followed closer to the graphic novel. She reached for a tissue in her purse as Norman softly stroked her arm in comfort. 

"Hang in there, Mellie. We can do this."

She nodded as she dabbed her eyes and with a weak smile simply stated, "One day at a time, right?"

They arrived on set and took their places in the green room. Melissa and Norman knew the audience and Chris were watching the episode and could hear their reactions as various scenes took place on the screen. When the final scene came on, played out and Carol and Daryl died, there was total silence. Then all of a sudden, all hell broke loose and the audience went nuts. Simultaneously, Norman's phone began an unending buzzing sound as the media outlets he follows blew up. Screams of "Are you fucking kidding me, holy shit, what the hell was that and not Daryl and Carol" could be heard in the screening room. Melissa and Norman could hear fans crying at what they had just seen. It was very hard to hear all of that going on while both of their phones were now blowing up. Norman shut both of their phones off as a red-eyed Nancy walked into the room and said, "They are ready for you."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the episode aired, there was what could only be described as pandemonium that took place on social media. Every slot of Twitter trending was taken by something to do with Caryl, Daryl, Carol, Melissa, Norman, TWD, AMC, etc. Facebook pages blew up as well as Instagram and Tumblr accounts. It only took a few minutes before several social media outlets began putting up messages of technical difficulties due to the overload on the internet of the outcry surrounding this episode. 

The Walking Dead page on the AMC site was inundated with comment after comment about the episode for hours after it premiered. The comment that received the most likes was "Biggest mistake in television history" by TheWalkingCaryl. 

The following morning the execs at AMC came in to thousands of emails flooding their boxes and the AMC voice mailbox was full. Melissa and Norman had been on The Talking Dead and had shared the reason they were both fired and that drove even more people to contact AMC any way they could. A campaign popped up on the Make A Difference campaign site requesting the execs of AMC step down and Carol and Daryl be rewritten into the show.

As Josh Sapan clicked on his AMC CEO email account, he noticed it had 101,214 messages in his inbox. He sat back in total shock and for the first time, suddenly became skeptical about the choices they had made in regards to the show.


	9. Chapter 9

Hearing the fan reactions to the episode made it that much harder to participate in tonight's appearance of The Talking Dead. Melissa was barely holding it together as they walked closer to the set. Norman looked over at Melissa and saw her struggling to keep her emotions in check. He grabbed her hand and was surprised with the strength in which she gripped his back. He stopped walking at the base of the stage and turned Melissa to face him.

As he looked into her blue eyes that were magnified by the tears that filled them he spoke softly, "Melissa, just remember to take deep breaths. We will get through this! We knew the feedback from the fans would be phenomenal and we just need to roll with it. The fans understand how much of ourselves we have put in to Carol and Daryl. They appreciate and love that about us. It is going to be ok."

She leaned up, kissed him quickly and replied, "I know Norman, thank you for always being here." 

They clasped hands as they heard Chris announce, "Here they are, let's welcome Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus to the show." The audience rose to their feet and gave them a standing ovation as they made their way around the couch and sat next to Robert. The sheer volume and length of the cheering immediately brought tears to Melissa's eyes once again. Norman gave her hand another squeeze at they got settled, and then put his sunglasses on top of his head.

"Thank you to all of you for joining us this evening. Tonight's episode was...well, I am not even sure what to say," stated Chris as he looked at all of them. "Robert, let's start with you. What made you guys decide to kill off Daryl and Carol?" The audience immediately began to boo and yell, surprising all of them.

"Hold on a minute everyone," said Norman quickly. "This was not the decision of the writers, Scott or Robert. The executives of AMC decided that they wanted to take the show a different direction and chose to have our characters killed off in favor of a younger cast." 

Silence filled the air for a moment before the audience erupted in anger. The continuous boos, whistles and cat calls shook the walls with the sheer volume being made about what Norman had just said. Chris could tell how upset the audience was and knew he needed to settle things down. 

"Hang on everyone. I know you are upset, but let's let Norman clarify." The noise settled and Chris asked, "Norman, what do you mean, younger cast?"

"They told us they felt that they would be able to bring in a younger demographic with a more youthful cast. That is why they let us go."

"Let me get this straight. They killed off two of the most popular people on the show because they thought a younger audience would relate more?"

"That is what he is saying, "said Robert with a look of appreciation on his face. "Thank you, Norman, for clearing that up.This was the toughest thing we have ever had to do on the show. The script was a challenge to write as we wanted to give those two characters a worthy send off."

"What made you decide to have Daryl and Carol profess their love for one another, then kill them off?"

"Actually, it was Norman and I who asked them to include the romantic side of the show. So many fans waited years for it to happen and we felt it was only right to finally give them what they wanted," said Melissa quietly as the audience whistled and shouted appreciation of their decision to do that. 

"I know the Caryl shippers appreciate knowing you guys went to bat for them," said Chris knowingly. "How are the two of you doing with such an unexpected big change in your lives?"

"Some days are easier than...than others," replied Melissa choking up. "The cast has been amazing with helping Norman and I through this time. Really, what an amazing group of people. They have been so comforting and supportive. It is hard to face the reality that this time in our lives is over now. I gave Carol...ev...everything I had." 

"Mellie is right. Daryl was a character I was proud to play. I worked hard to develop him into someone who went from a doormat to a badass. We both did that with our characters." He grabbed Melissa's hand as she continued to wipe her eyes. "It has been an amazing ride."

When the applause died down, they took a few questions from social media fans and then Chris wrapped up the show. Melissa and Norman snuck quickly out the back to avoid the pandemonium that was sure to be going on in the front. After what took place this evening, they just wanted to get back to the hotel and relax with each other.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Talking Dead interview really riled up the fans and emails flooded the CEOs of AMC's box. The responses varied in type,but most were obviously written by irate people.

"No freakin way! Are they crazy? Caryl has no age limits. Young and old alike love them!," was sent in by LAH.  
"Just for the record, there are hundreds of thousands of younger people that love Carol and Daryl and Caryl. AMC can suck it!" was written by a very vocal vickih.  
"Whoa...that was brutal. The show would be nothing without Caryl," was shared by CarolPeletier.  
"Those execs need to change their minds," is what deniselynn1966 felt.

AMC was about to find out what the power of the fans can do.


	10. Chapter 10

Over the next few weeks, AMC continued to be bombarded with emails, phone calls, letters, postcards, tweets and yes, even faxes about the death of Carol and Daryl. The office staff was so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of communications coming in, AMC had to hire additional staff to get it organized. Even the USPS had to call in extra mail carriers to help with everything coming in from around the world. 

Josh Sapan arrived at the office and drove into the underground parking garage to avoid the fans that were outside picketing. He used to ride his bike to work for exercise, but when the fans figured out who he was, they wouldn't let him get by. Security ended up coming out of the building to help get him inside. He rode the elevator to the top floor and stepped out into the foyer of his office. His secretary greeted him as he walked into his office and threw his briefcase on his desk. The computer whirred on as he hung up his coat. He used to enjoy coming to work and catching up on the news online in between checking emails. Now, knowing there would be an onslaught of Caryl support emails, he dreaded it every day.  
When the team sat down and decided to kill off Carol and Daryl, they had absolutely no idea the severity of the backlash in doing so. People stopped watching, ratings dropped and stress levels were at their highest. 

After seeing there were another 10,000 emails in his box, Josh knew something had to happen and fast. Fans have saved shows and characters before, but what the fans of Carol and Daryl were doing was unprecedented. The executives failed to realize that when they killed them, they were messing with three fan bases. Everyone automatically thought of the Caryl supporters, and while they were the most active, the Daryl and the Carol fans also lent a hand to the extremely organized chaos of this boycott. 

Josh knew it was time to call an emergency meeting with all of the executives and the entire writing team immediately. Something was going to have to happen or The Walking Dead was going to end much sooner than it should. He knew what they had to do, but had to ask the writers if it was possible. How do you save the show?

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days later, Melissa and Norman were hanging out at Melissa's house in Georgia. Norman had been out of the state for two weeks taking care of wrapping up a movie in California and then visiting with Mingus for a few days. They had decided to go visit the cast today as the group was really struggling with everything going on. To say Norman and Melissa were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support they received since the episode aired would be a complete understatement. After the backlashing she received from Bethyl fans when Beth died, Melissa thought for sure she would be tossed to the wolves by the Daryl fans. However, the complete opposite had happened. The support they both encountered was amazing.  
People were sending cards, paintings, making videos, drawings, writing poems, songs and even sending stuffed animals and dolls. Their email boxes were so full, there was no way they would ever be able to respond to any of them. Twitter allowed them to tweet out thanks, but then the responses would freeze the system, so they had to limit those. Norman would send out miscellaneous shots of himself and Melissa, but other than that, they just tried to relax as much as they could. 

"Norman, let's go," hollered Melissa as she grabbed her purse. She often teased him about taking as long as a chick to get ready. 

"Five minutes, Mellie," he hollered from the bathroom as he started the hair dryer one more time.

She chuckled as she placed her purse on the counter and sat down on a stool. She was thumbing through an art magazine Norman had got for the plane ride, when her phone rang.

"Hello? Oh yes, hi! You would? Really? Ok, hold on." She put the phone down and went to Norman. After she explained to him who was on the phone, she came back. "Yeah, that would be fine. Ok, bye."

She was trying to figure out the call when Norman walked into the kitchen and said, "Wow, talk about an interesting call."


	11. Chapter 11

They held hands as they walked into AMC headquarters as their nerves had the better of them. It was rare that neither Melissa or Norman had any clue about what was going on. As they stepped onto the elevator, Melissa said with worry in her voice, "Do you think we did something wrong? Did we break a part of our contract?"

"Mellie, relax. I am sure that if it was something like that, we would have heard about it already. They probably just want some feedback about the season premiere or something like that." He said those words to comfort her, but he had to keep telling himself the same thing over and over again. The elevator stopped and they stepped out only to be greeted by Mr. Sapan's secretary, Bella, immediately.

"Thank you both for coming! Please follow me," said Bella as she escorted them to the conference room.

They walked in and were greeted by the entire AMC executive team. "Melissa, Norman, thank you so much for coming. Please have a seat."

~April 2016~

Melissa and Norman sat on the couch watching the lead in episode to the season finale for season six and just shook their heads at the amazing scenes their friends had put together. "Wow, that is some of their best work," said Melissa as she grabbed the popcorn bowl and empty beer bottles from the table and took them to the kitchen. "There continues to be a shock factor that flows through each episode. It never slows down, never gets stale."

Norman sidled up behind her as she rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. "Just like us, right Mellie?," Norman grumbled in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "We never slow down and certainly never get stale." Shivers ran up her body as she leaned back into him and sighed contently. 

Their relationship had evolved rather slowly without the knowledge of the press core. Since they were off the show, but still hung around their former castmates, it was easy to convince press and fans alike, that they were just good friends. The only people who knew that they were a couple were their families and close friends. Melissa and Norman knew that with the struggles the show was going through since they had been killed off, if their relationship went public, it could be that much more devastating. 

She turned to face him and catching Norman a bit off guard, launched herself at him. He had no choice but to grab the backs of her legs while she wrapped them around him. She put her lips up to his ear and quietly whispered, "I think I may need another lesson in how we never slow down, from the man I love. Care to show me?" She heard him growl as she began to kiss his neck while he carried her to the bedroom. 

He tossed her gently on the bed and climbed up after her. Straddling her, he looked into her eyes and saw her passion swirl amongst the darkening shades of blue. He grabbed her hands and held them captive above her head as he began to kiss her softly on the lips, licking her bottom lip urging her to open up. As soon as she did, he tongue swooped in and stroked her tongue passionately. They never seemed to get enough of each other and oftentimes had to pull away out of breath. He never tired of her taste, of her smell. The lavender vanilla body wash she used made his desire for her, that much stronger. 

"I need my hands," she whispered as she caught her breath. He let them go and she sat up to pull her shirt over her head. 

"Jesus, Mellie...," he exclaimed as he slowly scanned her body with his desire filled eyes. "I love you so much, woman." She loved the way his eyes drank her in as he looked at her. She then grasped each side of his button down shirt and quickly deciding she had no time for button removal, ripped the damn thing open, got it off of him hurriedly and flung it away from them. Her actions sealed the deal for Norman as he lost all restraint, she followed him as they showed each other the overwhelming love they felt for one another well into the evening.

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As they prepared for the season finale party they were having at the house on Sunday, Melissa said, "Norman, why don't we send out tweets encouraging the fans to watch the season finale. We already know that many of them stopped watching after we got killed off, but I would hate for them to miss this finale. It is wonderfully written and the acting is outstanding. It would be a shame for them not to see it. The cast worked hard, they deserve the accolades that should go with it."

"I think that is a great idea, Melissa. Let's do it."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The time came for the season finale to start and as Melissa looked around the room and her eyes settled on Norman, she realized how truly blessed she was. Their stomachs were full, the drink was flowing and the love that could be felt amongst all the cast brought her such a sense of peace and pride. It had been a tough year for all of them, and they were ready to move on. 

Norman and Andy cracked up at a joke they heard from Steven as Danai spoke up, "Here it is everyone! Quiet!"

The screen was black, lit only by moonlight. A body could be seen thrashing around followed by a rough voice, "No, no...Carol! Stop, no!!!!"

Suddenly a quiet voice could be heard, "Daryl, wake up! I am right here. Ssshhh, wake up."

"C...Carol?"

"I am right here, Daryl. It is ok, go back to sleep."

"I was having the worst dream. I dreamt we died and it wasn't even by walkers."

"Nope, we are still here. We are not going anywhere."


End file.
